Posted by Mid- Life Crisis on October 15, 2003, at 23:58:33
In reply to Re: Strattera updates?, posted by frustratedmom on October 15, 2003, at 19:26:35
Frustrted Mom,
My 15 yr. old son was also previously on Adderall (XR and the generic short-acting type) before trying Strattera. He's only been on Strattera for about 8 days, but it doesn't appear to be working for him at this point (though he's not on a full dose yet.) I'm at wit's end, because he gets in trouble for "disruptive" behavior, which the school labels disruptive even if it's only shaking his head when the teacher is talking and he tells me even the kids in his class accuse the teacher of not liking my son (and he CAN be trying, because he's the class clown type.) Believe it or not, this is an alternative high school which has loads of ADHD kids in it, and so lots of my son's friends are also ADHD. However, the teachers at this school seem to understand very little about ADHD. (Ironically, the school is sponsoring a local therapist presentation in a couple of weeks for parents entitled "What Parents Need to Know About ADHD Children". I wish this school would also consider one for the teachers as well! Sorry to vent!)
Anyhow, Adderall made my son's normally sweet (for a 15 year old boy) temperament angry and oppositional...not like him. On Strattera, he just seems out of it so far, and says it makes him feel wierd, though I think some is the drowsiness. Only thing left to try after this is Wellbutrin, but that would not seem to address his problems, as he has no depression. Guess we should feel lucky that our sons will even agree to take meds. at age 15, as plenty that age will not. So many of my son's friends who were on ADHD meds earlier in life are now out there driving cars, totally unmedicated, yet still obviously in need of them. (And I had my own share of car wrecks as an unmedicated/undiagnosed teen.)
Please keep me posted on how your son is doing back on the Adderal XR. I'm glad he's able to make good grades on it, that is a lot to be thankful for. Good luck to your both!
poster:Mid- Life Crisis
thread:133458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031015/msgs/269876.html